I would assume most people buying off the hardware off netgate store prob wanting to use it as their pfsense box ;) So yeah before some actually bitches should prob put disclaimers on any add on sort of hardware that isn't currently easy to get working, without like writing your own driver ;) hehehe

And that with an external GPS antenna, in a location where my phone has no trouble picking up a GPS signal.
So I assume it's not actually the clock/GPS not being synced up, but the settings being wrong.

I tried to use cu to check any device output, but I did't get any, but seeing that least I dealt with serial ports was back when kermit was still under active development, that doesn't mean much, I may just have invoked cu the wrong way.

I picked 9600, because that's what the Linux setup showed. The standard MediaTek setup is 4800 (if selected on the pop-up), tried that, too, but no change. Also, I updated the init strings to 9600 baud, because they showed 4800, even after increasing the rate to 9600.

I know about the port number, but cuau0 is the only device showing. Since pfSense supports the serial console, and since that supposedly uses the same pins as the ones to which the GPS lure is attached to (and not regular USB-to-serial), I figure that is the proper device.

If there's a way to use different serial interfaces, I haven't found it.

The minnowboard has a standard com port that is brought out to the 6 pin debug header. That's where you get the serial console if you enable it, /dev/cuau0. It also has two UARTs on the low speed header that the GPS-Lure uses but it appears that in the default config FreeBSD/pfSense does not recognise and attach to them.

But! If you change the LPSS & SCC Devices Mode to PCI mode in the BIOS an additional two com ports are then detected. That's in Device Manager > System Setup > South Cluster Config > LPSS & SCC Config.
Also check that both UARTs are enabled there. Mine were here but I've played around with those settings I can't be sure they were by default.

Anyway once that is done and you see cuau2 and cuau3 in /dev try those ports for NMEA signals from the GPS.

@stephenw10 Cool, thanks!
That brings us quite a step forward. (BTW: is there documentation anywhere on all the settings in there? Many of them are obvious, others not, managed to enable some things that resulted in the NICs no longer being recognized by the system, so I reset to factory settings, and then just re-enabled the UARTs).

Anyway, that done, I now get this, which means the GPS module is seen by the system:

So, since is obvious from this, that the GPS module can't get a fix, that's not yet being quite there...

Figuring that the patch antenna on the module inside a metal case might not be ideal, I invested into an external GPS antenna. My iPhone gets a GPS lock where the unit is, so I'd figure with an external antenna, that should be good enough of a location. Maybe not. Maybe the system just takes much longer to get a fix, as it's not assisted by cell tower and WiFi information to acquire one.
Hopefully in a few hours or so, it will acquire a satellite fix.

No matter what, at least we now know we can access the device, and that's the biggest obstacle.

@stephenw10 Just had an idea: is the external antenna detected automatically, or do the init commands enable it? If it's not automatic, and the integrated patch antenna is being used, inside of what's a metal case with a few vents, in a basement, I'd 100% be not surprised it can't get a satellite lock.

On the other hand, if the switch-over is automatic, then I am surprised, because I'd expect an external antenna to have a better reception than what my iPhone gets, and that has no issue locking on to the GPS signal, basement and all.

Wonder where I can find out, if the external antenna is recognized automatically...

@stephenw10 Not really, because of where internet comes into the house. I could just try to run the box stand-alone for a while to test, both with and without the cover of the case, and with and without the external antenna (if for some reason it should be busted), but I'd have to do that when I don't need access to the internet for a period of time...

Yup you could go that route for sure... Or for like less than a $100 total and a few minutes time you could setup a pi with a hat and run that as stratum 1.. I have one on my home network, that serves to the pool and my local network for like couple of years now.

Hi @johnpoz - have been following this thread and your post about using a Pi as a Stratum 1 NTP server intrigued me. Did a bit of research, and I think this could be a fun little project. Do you mind sharing a bit more how you went about it? For instance, did you follow a guide like this?

It's no doubt a fun project but could you start a new thread for that in general discussion?

This is the Netgate hardware section.

I posted it here, since both the GPS lure and the SG-2340 nee MBT-4220 were sold and bought by Netgate. AFAIK, Netgate is the prime source of the GPS lure.
So I figured that would be the appropriate place, as I'm trying to get Netgate hardware running with Netgate software.

But if there's a better spot for this, by all means, move the thread there.

I don't see any actual specs on that antenna. Was it supplied with anything additional?

I would also expect it to work though....

Description lists this:

*Description
This GNSS (GPS, Galileo, Glonass) antenna has magnetic radome so it will stick to any steel structure like a roof of a car. It draws between 5-15mA and works in 2.2-5V DC range. You will need a sort of SMA to u.FL adapter cable to use it with u.FL modules/shields.

The idea to increase the update frequency may be foiled:
for a higher update frequency (like 5 or 10Hz), it requires a correspondingly higher baud rate.
The problem is, the firmware of the module specifies what default baud rate the module has, and I think these are programmed with 9600 baud.
It is possible increase both update rate and baud rate with corresponding commands, the problem is, pfSense doesn't have a pre and post configuration baud rate.
So if I indicate a higher baud rate in pfSense, then it won't be able to talk to the module to set the baud rate to the higher rate, and if I set 9600, and then tell the GPS module to go faster pfSense is stuck at the lower rate, as there's no "auto" setting.

So either pfSense would need to have an auto-baud setting, so it could sync up at 9600, send over the new config, and then resync at 38400 or 115200, or one would need an init baud rate, and a post-init baud rate, to which it would switch once the init commands are sent.

In any case: I can't get pfSync to use a higher rate successfully, because either I can't send the init commands, or pfSync won't sync after.

That means I'm stuck at the 9600/1Hz situation, unless I'd somehow took the risk of attempting to flash different firmware settings, so the module would communicate at 38400 or 115200 out of the the gate.

My original intention was just to try to a USB based GPS receiver since it's the cheapest approach, but upon seeing the warning in the documentation and reading that threat, it seems like a waste of time and money. PPS capability is also really important. Some more useful info:

Something was blinking red at some point, just noticed the blinking, since the system is in a case, I’m not sure what.
Can’t check now, as the unit is now at a remote site.
If it’s important somehow, I can check it out myself in a couple of months...
..,otherwise I’d have to get maintenance staff involved.
Is there a particular reason you ask?

It isn't important. As far as I can see from the data sheet that's what it should do. Blinks at 0.5Hz without lock then solid once it has a 3D fix. But it can be set in firmware for other behaviour.
I have one to play with now myself so I'll let you know, if it ever gets a fix that is! TTFF from cold is.... um loooong.
Of course my antenna is not ideally placed. The chipset itself looks to be capable of TTFF in 45s so....

Lock on to GPS NEVER happened with the built-in antenna, as the metal case, despite air vents, seems to have pretty much shielded that.
On the other hand, once the external antenna was connected, it was relatively swift in picking them up.
So I think it’s either taking the cover off, or using an external antenna, for which the case is fortunately well prepared, with a pre-made hole for the connector.

For reference the 'fix' LED actually goes out entirely when a 3D fix is obtained.
Might be better to have it stay on solidly instead. I think that default is done to save power in battery driven applications which doesn't apply here. A firmware update might be possible to change that.

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